Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

What are the independent and dependent variables and control for this experiment? We are using an online database to determine why people have different reactions to prescription drugs and how this is affected by genetic mutations.

Hi,

I am sorry for the delay answering your question. I asked another expert to come help with this one - I am not quite sure about database questions. Tonya

Here is the link to my project if that helps: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p006.shtml

Hello,
Since your project is really a research project and you aren't doing an experiment yourself...these terms don't really apply.

If you look at testing the same drug on a variety of people to see how they react based on their genetcis, the independent variables would be the people themselves, and the drug you are giving them. Basically any input into the experiment that has an impact on the result. The people could have many variables themselves such as age, sex, ethnicity and genetic make up that could all impact the result of the experiment, being is the drug effective. The dependent variable would be whether or not the drug is effective....this result could potentially be impacted by any of the independent variables. Does this make sense?

Hello,

Is there a control for this project?

-Arnlan

Hi Arnlan,

I have to agree with the previous expert, that since this is really more of a research project than an experiment you are doing, the variables, controls, etc. don't entirely apply. However, following what KatieC said, imagine if you personally were doing an experiment to test whether a drug affected people with a specific genetic mutation differently from people without the mutation. Can you try to figure out what your control group would be?

In order to explore whether the drug affects people with this mutation differently, you couldn't just test the drug on those people. You would need to also include a group of people without the mutation to serve as your controls, so you'd know how "regular" people respond to the drug. Like KatieC said, in an experiment set up this way, the independent variable (what you control) would be the presence of absence of a specific genetic mutation in people, and your dependent variable is the effectiveness of the drug. To confirm that the effectiveness of the drug is dependent purely on the genetic mutation, you would also want to control other possible variables between the groups (i.e. sex, age, ethnicity) and these would become controlled variables.

I hope this makes sense. Please post again if you still have questions about these concepts.

JMP

Thank You So much

Dependent variable: The individual’s response to a prescribed medication
Independent variable: Genetic mutations in isolated individuals
Control: The general population and the standard response expected

Hope this helps,
Quinn.

So using these variables you provided with me, it is used on the website on the procedures?

JMP wrote:Hi Arnlan,

I have to agree with the previous expert, that since this is really more of a research project than an experiment you are doing, the variables, controls, etc. don't entirely apply. However, following what KatieC said, imagine if you personally were doing an experiment to test whether a drug affected people with a specific genetic mutation differently from people without the mutation. Can you try to figure out what your control group would be?

JMP

I don't know how test it using the phamgkb, i have done the experiment following the procedures already. I don't really know how to spice up the project. Can you also help me figure out how to write the hypothesis? How do you use people in this project using the website. I need help asap!!

Thank You,
Arnlan

For the experiment. I know it's a research project but what kind of graphs or data tables would you make? Like I know what to do for the experiment but it's so confusing. I am researching the drug clopidogrel (as it says on the procedures) but what do you do once you grab the info. How would you make the conclusion? This project is a lot harder than I thought and I am slowly starting to regret picking it for my science fair lol. But the part I'm really confused of is just how to reach the conclusion and how to make the data tables and what type of graphs I could make. Please help I only have 2 weeks left so some advice would really help